New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal walked out of Tihar Jail today as the Supreme Court granted him bail in the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Excise Policy. Several Aam Aadmi Party leaders including Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were present outside Tihar Jail to welcome Kejriwal as he walked out of the prison after 155 days.
The Supreme Court said that the CM had already been granted interim bail in the money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and it did not do justice to keep him behind bars while the Central Bureau of Investigation conducts its own inquiry into the same matter. The ED is separately investigating the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.
Granting bail to the Aam Aadmi Party supremo, the court found “prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty”. Earlier, Arvind Kejriwal was granted interim bail on May 10 for campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections and has been in jail since June 2 when he surrendered as per the bail conditions.
AAP Leaders Celebrate With Dhol, Sweets
Celebrations erupted outside the AAP headquarters in the national capital after the Supreme Court granted bail to Kejriwal. Several AAP leaders and workers gathered outside the party headquarters and distributed sweets, burst crackers and danced to ‘dhols’ to celebrate the release of their party supremo.
Meanwhile, outside the chief minister’s residence, Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, along with senior AAP leaders and workers, also distributed sweets as party supporters raised slogans like “Aa gaye bhai aa gaye, Kejriwal aa gaye” (Kejriwal has finally arrived) and “jail ke taale toot gaye, Kejriwal chooth gaye” (the locks of prison have been broken. Arvind Kejriwal has been released).
Senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Atishi, Sanjay Singh and his wife Anita were also present at the spot.
Arvind Kejriwal Can’t Act Like Delhi CM: SC
Kejriwal, who refused to resign and continued as Chief Minister in jail, will not be allowed to attend Office while he is freed from prison. In granting bail, a two-judge bench comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Surya Kant upheld the conditions imposed by the Supreme Court in the ED case, which restrict Arvind Kejriwal from attending office or signing official Delhi government files.
The Conditions Include:
- Release subject to a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh
- Kejriwal cannot make comments about the Delhi liquor policy case
- The Delhi Chief Minister will have to be present for trial unless exempted by courts
- Kejriwal can’t enter the Chief Minister’s office or the Delhi secretariat while out on bail
- He cannot sign official files
After coming out of prison, CM Kejriwal could be seen in a jubilant mood, stating “jail cannot weaken my courage.”
